Driverless cars have the potential to bring great benefits – reducing the carnage on our roads and, if designed well and integrated into the transportation system properly, promoting energy efficiency and the efficient use of infrastructure.

But, in a world of driverless cars, will there still be room for transit? If we want our cities to be successful, vibrant hubs of commerce, living and culture, the answer will be “yes.”

Complete Streets are designed for everybody, and encourage walking, cycling and transit to coexist with cars and trucks. With a push from members of our coalition and from leaders in dozens of cities and towns, the state legislature in 2014 authorized a strong Complete Streets initiative. After further discussion and review with many communities, MassDOT has announced a funding program to make this important concept a reality, supported by $12.5 million in the next two years.

The Green Line Extension (GLX) is a long-planned project that will provide transit service to tens of thousands of daily riders, with major benefits to the economy, environment, and congestion, and with substantial funding from the federal government. The debate should not be about whether to build GLX, but how.

We thank MassDOT for asking for public comment on their upcoming capital plans, including transit, walking, biking, roads and bridges. The series of 16 Capital Conversations events are important to hearing directly from the people on what kind of mobility investments we need in the years to come.

Make your voice heard on state and federal transportation investments!

MassDOT has announced a series of 16 public forums starting October 19 for you to weigh in on the upcoming five year capital investment plan, which will include maintenance and capacity investments for all transit, cycling, pedestrian, roadway and bridge projects.

The USDOT, at the federal level, has also scheduled a forum in Boston on October 14 to take public input on their Beyond Traffic report, a vision for 2045.

On September 29, coalition members and other supporters of transportation testified in support of S1474 and H2698, An Act Relative to Regional Transportation Ballot Initiatives. This legislation, sponsored by Senator Ben Downing and Rep. Chris Walsh, would allow cities and towns to ask voter approval to raise funds for local transportation projects. The Joint Committee on Revenue will consider this bill and, we hope, report it out favorably.

The Fiscal and Management Control Board (the Board) and MBTA management have worked hard over the last sixty days, meeting frequently and digging into the many challenges facing the MBTA. We appreciate the Board’s dedication and focus and are glad to have a succinct, readable report detailing the key issues the Board will take action on over the coming years. The Board has already begun to tackle many important issues such as procurement, customer service, transparency, winter resiliency, and employee absenteeism.

Writing in the Boston Globe, Transportation for Massachusetts director Kristina Egan applauds reform at the MBTA, but makes clear that it is not enough - and that critical maintenance is not enough to prepare the region for tomorrow's economy. Click here for the published letter.

We are pleased to welcome our 58th member, the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation. The QVCDC serves fifteen central Massachusetts communities with programs to support economic development, environmental issues, social needs, technical assistance and much more to improve the well being of residents across the region. Through their partnership with the Quaboag Valley Business Assistance Corporation, they also support business development and best practices. The QVCDC is a member-focused non-profit.